Thursday, February 18, 2016

Pilot of JG 54 with His Girl inside an Umbrella

Although it looks as if it might have come from a propaganda magazine, this photograph is in fact from the private collection of a pilot of III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54) "Grünherz". Interestingly, this photo of 9./JG 54's "Staffelschirms" (Staffel Umbrella) with hand-painted "Teufelskopf" (Devil's Head) emblem was not taken early in the war when there was still time for such fun, but during the Reichsverteidigung (Reich's Defense) period. The photograph was shot in September 1943 at 9.Staffel's airfield at Schwerin-Görries. The umbrella, created by members of the Staffel, appears to be made of parachute silk.